Sharks keeping most of their big names home for exhibition opener tonight in Vancouver

SAN JOSE — Sharks Coach Todd McLellan is following what has become the standard practice of keeping most of your big guns out of the early exhibition games — especially those on the road — for tonight’s game in Vancouver.

The NHL does require teams to send at least eight players who have played a set number of NHL games and the Sharks are sending forwards Joe Pavelski, Tommy Wingels and the fourth line of James Sheppard, Andrew Desjardins and Adam Burish.

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Former first-round pick Tomas Hertl is likely to play on the Pavelski line and prospects
Daniil Tarasov, Freddie Hamilton, John McCarthy, Brodie Reid, Matt Pelech and Travis Oleksuk are also making the trip. So is pro tryout Anthony Stewart.

Regulars Jason Demers, Scott Hannan and Matt Irwin are expected to be on the blue line tonight with Matt Tennyson, Nick Petrecki and Dylan Demelo rounding out the defense.

McLellan announced Sunday that the two goalies competing to become Antti Niemi’s backup, Alex Stalock and Harri Sateri, will be in Vancouver as well.

****I’ll update with quotes later this morning. And a reminder that the game is slated to be on the NHL Network at 7 p.m.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

This is what I’ve been waiting for all summer!! I would have liked to see Mueller play, though.

Phat Stat Phil

I posted before all the comments were erased, but it’s really unlikely that Mueller would join the team any earlier than next season. In the entire history of the Sharks draft, there’s only been a couple of defensemen who joined the same year they were drafted.

Phat Stat Phil

I’ll be interested to see if Stalock looks better than he did last year.

I’m excited to see what Sateri looks like at the NHL level. When I saw him play last year in Worcester, he blew me away.

John Miatech

Wish I could see the game….always fun seeing what the prospects can do! Lot of competition for the 6th D spot this year. Demers had better step up if he wants his shot!